Energy Conservation Code Decoded

You won’t need your supersecret decoder ring for the 2006 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC), published in January. The new international code is easier to use and easier to enforce. It also closes several loopholes in previous versions. Maintained under the public-consensus process of the International Code Council, the IECC does just what its title implies: promotes the design and construction of energy-efficient homes and commercial buildings. “Homes,” in this case, means traditional single- family homes, duplexes, condominiums, and apartment buildings having three or fewer stories. States, counties, and cities have begun reviewing the new code as a potential upgrade to their existing codes. DOE, which played a key role in proposing the changes that resulted in the new code, is offering a free training course that covers the residential provisions of the 2006 IECC.